Congress fails to take benefit of rift between Sena-BJP

Mumbai – It seems clear that the Congress party has failed to take benefit of the rift between former allies in the BMC - Shiv Sena and BJP – in the civic elections. Exit polls have indicated that Congress will lose its existing seats as well. In 1992, Congress had wrested power from the saffron parties owing to their fighting separately then.

As per political analysts, the BJP and Shiv Sena had taken lead in the campaigning but Congress spent most of its force on internal fighting. It resulted in to the party lagging behind even in the campaigning. Almost all big leaders from the state remained absent at the time of release of Congress manifesto. There is uncertainty on the performance of Congress party and its existing 52 seats. As per sources, internal bickering, allegations and counter allegations put the party in the position of electoral loss.

After the voting for BMC elections, city Congress president Sanjay Nirupam openly alleged that some Congress leaders worked to see him defeated. Meanwhile, MPCC president Ashok Chavan expressed hoped and said that the party is optimistic about a good performance of the party in the BMC polls.

The Congress had formed its rule in the BMC in 1992 civic elections owing to no alliance between Shiv Sena and BJP.

As per political observer Vivek Bhavsar, internal fighting will be responsible for Congress party’s loss in 2017 civic polls.